1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless media players and related systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wireless media system and player having improved features for establishing wireless connectivity with various electronic devices.
2. Background of the Invention
The ever increasing speed and the reduced size of electronic components has contributed to the proliferation of consumer electronic devices capable of processing digital media such as audio, video, images, animation, presentations, and other content. Handheld media players include for example, cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 players, video players, game players, cameras, radios, televisions, CD/DVD players, Personal Video Recorders (PVRs), etc. Many existing media players are able to store large amounts of digital content, wirelessly connect to the Internet and exchange data over short ranges with other electronic devices.
It is often desirable to interact on a frequent basis with multiple electronic devices that contain different types of digital media. For example, users might have digital music stored in a pocket-size MP3 player, photos or video stored in a cellular phone, presentations stored in a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a variety of other digital media and applications stored on other portable electronic devices. The standardization of file formats for a variety of media types and the resulting availability of processing support for these media types has allowed users to transfer and share digital information between devices more readily.
A problem remains in that getting personal electronic devices to communicate with one another in order to transfer or access information is typically a cumbersome and time-consuming process. In some cases, a direct physical connection must be established between two devices prior to and during data transfer or access using, for example, a docking station interface, FireWire connector, Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, or some type of cable. All of the above connectivity methods impose difficulties in that the devices must be directly attached or tethered to one another while communicating.
In other instances, connectivity between devices can be established using infra-red capability integrated into the devices. A major short-range infra-red (IR) communications network protocol, defined by the Infra-red Device Association (IrDA), is known as the IrDA standard. Infra-red technology restricts mobility by requiring the devices to be in direct line-of-sight to each other's infra-red port.
Wireless connectivity offers the most flexible means by which to connect devices and exchange information. Short-range wireless capability using standards such as Bluetooth, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and others are presently being integrated into media player devices. Wireless technology obviates the need for peripherals such as docking stations, cables, and adapters and provides for mobility within a certain range.
However, one issue with wireless device-to-device connectivity is that some form of user configuration is typically required. For example, communication settings, software settings, security settings, and other information is typically required to be exchanged between and among the devices which are to communicate. In most cases, user configuration in this manner makes data exchange between the media devices insecure and time consuming. Known over-the-air techniques for configuration between two devices have also proven to be generally insecure.
As devices such as cellular phones, PDAs, MP3 players, and cameras and other handheld devices capable of storing and playing media become more prevalent and offer more and more features, it is increasingly desirable to provide interconnection between these devices for convenience and to take advantage of the rich feature sets available. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved method, apparatus, and system for wirelessly connecting these devices and discovering each others' communication, media processing, and other capabilities. There is a further need for a solution that allows for the automatic establishment of a secure wireless connection between a source device and a target device and the automatic transmission of certain media assets to the target device. There is also a need for a solution that allows wireless media player devices to connect with and transmit media assets to other devices via the Internet.